Senate vote kicks off immigration-bill debate

Updated 1:17 am, Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, right, and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, second from right, listen to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Tuesday at the White House.

Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia, right, and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, second from right, listen to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on Tuesday at the White House.

Photo: Charles Dharapak, STF

Senate vote kicks off immigration-bill debate

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WASHINGTON — As the U.S. Senate started to cast votes on a bill to overhaul the nation's immigration laws, President Barack Obama held a White House rally to build support for the proposals.

"Don't kick this problem down the road," said Obama, who was surrounded by a group of business, political and law enforcement leaders - including Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.

"Do your job,'' the president said to Congress - "not only to fix a broken immigration system once and for all but to leave something better for all generations to come."

The bill would create a path for citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants. Obama said the legislation closes other gaps in an outdated U.S. immigration system that requires congressional attention.

The Senate voted overwhelmingly to proceed on the sweeping immigration reform bill. The first procedural vote passed 82-15. A second vote to proceed with debate and amendments passed 84-15.

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